Chapter 4: I am good at cleaning
I was hired as a servant.
The owner, Modal-san said he would treat me as a guest, but I declined. I can’t use magic, and I’m ignorant about this world.
“I don’t have any magical abilities, so please let me do any work that doesn’t require magic.”
Modal-san waved his hand in front of his face.
“No, no, most commoners, including myself, can’t use magic, so don’t worry. My daughter Sherry is one of the rare commoners with magical powers. Thanks to that, she was able to be employed at the royal castle.”
Is that so? I felt relieved and almost lost strength in my legs.
I was assigned to receive guidance from Claire-san, the head servant. Claire-san was a plump woman in her fifties with her hair tied up in a bun. She kindly guided me to the servant’s quarters.
“I’ve heard from the owner. It was a disaster. But don’t worry, everyone here is friendly. This is your room. It’s a shared room for two. It’s small, but it has everything you need. You’ll be living with Connie. She’s still working, so I’ll introduce her later. As for your belongings…oh, you don’t have anything. You were really summoned out of nowhere and thrown into this world.”
Saying that, Claire-san hugged me tightly.
“It must be tough for you. You had your own life, right? But this country isn’t just filled with people like that. Please stay strong.”
Being in Claire-san’s arms felt warm, soft, and comforting. It made my tense heart relax a little.
I was assigned as a room cleaner. When I mentioned that I was good at cleaning, they said, “Let’s see your skills first.” After the guests checked out, I was entrusted with cleaning the rooms. After finishing the cleaning, I had Claire-san inspect it.
“There’s absolutely no fault. Did you work in the cleaning industry in your previous world?”
“No, I was just an ordinary office worker. Traveling alone on my days off was my hobby, and I often stayed at cheap accommodations. Cheap accommodations can be either clean or not. So I can understand what places are worth worrying about from the perspective of a guest.”
“I see. With this, I can leave the work to you alone starting today.”
That’s good. I can be useful. I’ll do my best with all my might. If I can’t go back anymore, I have to live in this world.
“I want to start working right away. Because I don’t have to think about anything,” I pleaded, and Claire-san handed me the uniform while saying, “You’re demanding, aren’t you?” It was a maid outfit with a shorter length than what Sherry-san was wearing.
Most of the guest rooms were for one or two people, and there was one room for four people. I used the broom, dustpan, bucket, and mop that were given to me for cleaning. I also used the rag that was in the cleaning supplies closet along the way. I polished under the bed, window frames, the top of a small chest, and the table and chairs. It was also my job to remove the sheets and covers from the bed and replace them with new ones.
Without thinking, I immersed myself in work to keep my mind occupied. I carefully cleaned the corners of the room, the undersides of chair legs, the corners of window frames, and the edges of mirrors. Cleaning allowed me to avoid feeling anger or sadness.
I worked diligently and the day came to an end. We took turns quickly eating sandwiches for lunch. Late at night, when all the guests had settled into their rooms, the staff members were gathered. Modal-san explained how I ended up here, being hired as a cleaner, and that Sherry-san had recommended me.
“It’s terrible that they summoned a girl like you, who is no different from the girls in this world, and then just left you alone because you don’t have any magical powers.”
Miles-san, a sturdy man in his thirties who worked as a cook, clenched his lips.
“We’ll be sharing the same room from tonight. I’m Connie. Nice to meet you!”
Connie had cute reddish-brown hair. She seemed like a nice person, which put me at ease. After that, it was time for a late dinner.
“So, why were you summoned? There must be a reason, right?”
“They probably intended to summon a talented wizard. I don’t know any details.”
Everyone muttered complaints about the important people in the palace. They said things like it was too arbitrary or that they were heartless. I nodded in agreement because it was true, but I didn’t mention the talk about the great disaster. I couldn’t afford to slip up and get killed. I value my life.
“Well, Haru, you must be tired today. Have a good night’s sleep.”
“Thank you, Claire-san.”
In the following days, there were moments when I felt down, but I decided to throw myself into work to forget about it. I worked hard, got tired, and slept well. That became my routine. And after two weeks, it was finally my day off.
“Haru, you have the day off today. What are you going to do?”
“I’m thinking of going to the market. I don’t know anything about this country, so I want to learn little by little.”
“I see. Be careful of pickpockets. Oh, but you don’t even have a wallet.”
I have the money that is paid to me every week. But I don’t have any personal belongings, let alone a wallet. Connie gave me a cute pink cloth bag as a gift. It seemed like a wallet. I put my money inside and decided to go out.
“I’m off!”
“Be careful not to get lost!”
The market was just a short walk from the inn. There were lots of people, inviting voices, and the scent of food in the air. The important people said that a great disaster was going to happen, but I couldn’t sense any signs of it. The weather was pleasant, and the market was bustling with energy. I wonder if the great disaster will really come.
An earthquake? A massive typhoon? Even in Japan, countless disasters have occurred, but the country didn’t perish. Maybe they’re worrying too much.
Exploring the market was enjoyable. I bought and ate things I had never tasted before from food stalls. I also drank juices with flavors I had never experienced.
And then, I encountered someone I didn’t want to see.
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